WildClan's Return
by Mallowsong
Summary: SkyClan has been chased out of the forest by the other Clans. Some of SkyClan is happy with the gorge, but others want revenge on the other Clans. So that part of SkyClan becomes a whole new Clan, intent of getting revenge. They call themselves WildClan. Now, after many seasons, WildClan has discovered the Lake Clans. Will they be successful in taking their revenge?
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

Cloudstar stepped out of his den into the gorge. Cats moved below, chatting and eating fresh-kill. The sun was just setting, and the bright orange and yellow light illuminated the horizon.

Cloudstar nodded to his deputy, Buzzardtail. The ginger tom looked much better these days. His pelt no longer showed all his ribs. His eyes had started to regain their shine.

His whole Clan looked better, actually. After being chased out of the forest, SkyClan's original home, by the other Clans, they had traveled for many, many days. Finally, they had found the gorge, which became their new home.

Cloudstar cleared his throat, then called, "All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Skyrock for a Clan meeting!"

When the cats had gathered, he mewed, "We have experienced a great betrayal from our fellow Clans. They may have chased us out from the forest, but we will thrive- here, at the gorge."

The cats yowled their agreement. Pleased, Cloudstar started to go back into his den, but stopped abruptly. He could make out a single hiss among the cheers. All the cats, also having heard the hiss, fell silent.

One cat stepped forward. His amber eyes glowed as he hissed again. "What about revenge?"

Cloudstar's fur bristled as he faced the black tom. "What revenge, Croweye?"

"We must take revenge on the other Clans for chasing us off, of course," growled Croweye. "Once we are strong enough, we should go back to the forest to chase them out like they did to us."

Cloudstar lashed his tail. "Surely we shouldn't do that? We deserve to live in peace."

Croweye narrowed his eyes. "We deserve to get our revenge. We were unfairly chased out! If you are too mousehearted to do it, then I'll do it myself."

The black tom turned to his Clanmates, who were watching with wide eyes. "Clanmates," he yowled. "I will be leaving to start a new Clan tomorrow. Those who wish to correct the other Clans' wrongs can come with me."

"What?" whispered Fernpelt. "He must be crazy if he thinks we're going to leave just like that."

The dark brown tabby she-cat gasped as Tigertail rose to his paws. He mewed, looking straight at Cloudstar, "I appreciate everything you have done for us, Cloudstar. But I think we deserve a second chance at our life in the forest."

As Cloudstar stood there, stunned, about half of his Clanmates stood up and moved over to Croweye. The black tom glared triumphantly at Cloudstar. "You see, Cloudstar? Not every cat is happy with your choices."

Buzzardtail, Cloudstar's loyal deputy, meowed, "But what about a medicine cat? You can't have a Clan without a medicine cat."

Croweye answered smoothly, "That's no problem. Grayfeather has already decided to come with us."

Cloudstar stared at the medicine cat apprentice. Grayfeather looked away. "I'm sorry, Cloudstar," she mewed softly.

He couldn't take it anymore. Cloudstar turned and stormed into his den. Wishing everything was just a dream, he curled up in his nest and went to sleep.

The next morning, he did not step out of his den until Fawnstep, the medicine cat, stepped lightly into the den. "They left." she mewed sadly.

Cloudstar didn't answer. What was happening to his Clan?


	2. Chapter 2

_In the apprentice den, a gray-and-white she-cat_ woke to find the light of dawn filtering through the roof of the den, made of twigs, brambles, and leaves. The early newleaf breeze rattled through the branches, making her shiver.

Her brother was still asleep in his nest, snoring like a badger. Stalking up to the dappled gray tom, the she-cat found his tail, flicking contentedly back and forth. Narrowing her eyes, the she-cat slammed her forepaws onto his tail as hard as she could.

"Ouch!" _I bet he woke every cat in camp!_ She tried not to purr with amusement. _Serves him right for sleeping in!_

Her brother's green eyes flashed open and his fur bristled as he growled, "Hey! Lilypaw, why would you do that? I was having a great dream!"

Lilypaw scolded him, her tail lashing. "Cedarpaw, don't you remember what day it is?" Our mentors are showing us the territory!"

As Cedarpaw closed his eyes again, Lilypaw padded out of the den, unable to wait any longer.

She looked around the silent camp. WildClan lived in a large hollow, a dip in the ground, but nowhere near as deep as ThunderClan's camp. The hollow was surrounded completely by a prickly gorse and bramble barrier. The way in and out of camp was a bramble tunnel. Next to the apprentice den was the warrior den, and next to that, the nursery. The elders den was on the other side of the nursery, and the bramble tunnel was between the elders den and the medicine den. The dirtplace tunnel, a tunnel shallowly under the ground that led outside the camp, was right behind the elders den.

Pineseed, Lilypaw's mentor, was waiting for her at the bramble tunnel. The dark brown tabby she-cat with distinctive white ears and front paws looked up as Lilypaw approached.

"Where's Turtlefur?" Lilypaw asked. The tortoiseshell tom was Cedarpaw's mentor, and he was nowhere to be seen.

"Oh, he went to make dirt." As Pineseed spoke, Turtlefur appeared along with Cedarpaw.

Turtlefur dipped his head in greeting. "Sorry to keep you waiting. I went to fetch Cedarpaw on my way back." He looked at Cedarpaw sternly. "Cedarpaw, I expect you to wake up earlier from now on."

Cedarpaw stared and his paws shamefully. "Sorry," he muttered.

Lilypaw teased, "I told you you should get up, dormouse." She ducked as the dappled gray tom swiped at her with one paw playfully. "I was just teasing!" she squealed as he rolled her over and pummeled her with his forepaws.

"Let's go." purred Pineseed. The apprentices rolled to their paws. As Cedarpaw, Lilypaw, Pineseed, and Turtlefur started out of camp, a strange scent washed over Lilypaw. She opened her jaws wide, and the horrible scent flooded her senses just as Pineseed stiffened beside her.

At the same time, there was a flash of red at the camp entrance, and a terrible shriek rang out. Lilypaw flattened her ears as fear washed over her.

"Fox! Come on!" Turtlefur led the patrol through the bramble tunnel, and Lilypaw let out a gasp of horror.

Wispyfoot's body lay right outside the camp entrance, blood pooling around him from a gash on his shoulder. A red-furred creature was standing over the smoky gray tabby tom, its muzzle wet with blood.

"No!" Turtlefur threw himself at the fox, his claws extended. Pineseed followed, her eyes shining in fury.

Lilypaw huddled close to Cedarpaw, trembling. Cedarpaw spoke. "We should see if Wispyfoot is…" He paused. "...all right." Lilypaw tore her gaze away from the fox and followed her brother to where Wispyfoot lay. The gray tom's breathing was fast and shallow, and blood still trickled from his wound. His eyes were glazed.

Holding back a wail of distress, Lilypaw looked away quickly from the fallen warrior. Her attention snapped back to the fight with the fox. The fox had several bloody cuts on its flanks, much to her satisfaction. Turtlefur was on its back, clawing at its ears, while Pineseed nipped at its legs. Lilypaw watched as Turtlefur's claws tore the tip of the fox's ear.

With a screech of pain, the fox threw the tortoiseshell tom into the trunk of an oak tree nearby. Turtlefur slid to the ground and didn't move. The fox then turned on Pineseed, swiping its forepaw across the dark brown tabby's muzzle. Unbalanced by the force of the blow, Lilypaw watched in horror as her mentor lost her footing and fell on to her side. The fox immediately began clawing at Pineseed's exposed underbelly.

Hearing her mentor's agonized shriek, Lilypaw turned to Cedarpaw. Although fear squeezed against her sides, she managed to choke out determined words. "We have to help!"

Cedarpaw nodded. "Just be careful," he whispered. "I want us to survive together until we become warriors, at least."

"Don't worry," Lilypaw tried to purr, but it stuck against her throat. "I plan to be around for a long time still."

With that, Lilypaw threw herself at at the fox, which was snapping at Pineseed's flank. With unsheathed claws, Lilypaw raked the fox's flank. Hissing in fury, Cedarpaw clamped his jaws around the fox's hind paw. She heard the screech of the angered fox and the sound of Cedarpaw's jaws closing on the bone. It shook him off and Lilypaw felt its claws rake her back.

Gritting her teeth, Lilypaw tried to slash at its underbelly. The apprentice felt a rush of satisfaction as her claws tore through its thick pelt. Lilypaw leaped backwards to avoid a swipe from her opponent and spared a swift glance at her brother and her mentor.

Pineseed was snapping at the fox's haunches, spitting with anger. Cedarpaw was darting in and out of range, dealing swift blows to the fox's sides.

Lilypaw's breaths came in ragged gasps. The fox was tough, and it seemed like two untrained apprentices and an injured warrior weren't enough to drive it away. _We're getting tired, too._ But she still moved her heavy limbs to hurl herself at the fox again.

There seemed to be no end to the fox's attacks. Pineseed had collapsed, bleeding heavily from a deep bite on her foreleg. Lilypaw was exhausted. Just as she was about to collapse to the ground, too, the bracken beside her rustled, and a sense of dread washed over her. "Not more foxes!" she wailed.

Then, Lilypaw's heart suddenly soared. It was a WildClan hunting patrol, on their way back with fresh-kill! Hawkeye stepped through the bracken, carrying a squirrel. Frostcloud and Amberheart were right behind him. Hawkeye froze for a moment, his eyes lighting up with surprise.

Dropping his prey, he launched himself at the fox with his patrol. The fox, seeing more cats, turned tail and ran.

Frostcloud and Amberheart approached Lilypaw, Cedarpaw, and Pineseed. Hawkeye soon followed, smoothing down his ruffled fur. "If I ever see that fox again," he growled. "I swear to StarClan I will rip its pelt off!"

Frostcloud asked, "What happened?"

While Cedarpaw explained, Amberheart nodded to Lilypaw. "Get Poppynose."

Lilypaw raced back into camp. Cats were now stretching and sharing tongues outside the dens. They shot curious looks at her as her rushed to the medicine den, but she didn't stop. Before she reached the medicine den, Poppynose, the medicine cat, padded outside. "What's going on? I scent blood." Lilypaw skidded to a stop.

Lilypaw quickly explained the situation. "A fox attacked me, Cedarpaw, Pineseed, and Turtlefur as we were leaving camp. Wispyfoot, who was standing guard, was attacked before we came, and he might be dead by now. Pineseed and Turtlefur are unconscious."

Poppynose's eyes glimmered with worry. The small brown tabby she-cat called, "Petalpaw!" and the medicine cat apprentice appeared from the medicine den. "There was a fox attack. I'll start healing the injured cats outside camp. Take Lilypaw to the medicine den and treat her injuries. You can come help me afterward."

The white-eared brown tabby apprentice nodded and led Lilypaw into the medicine den. Lilypaw sank into one of the numerous mossy nests at the back of the den.

"Stay still," ordered Petalpaw. She pawed out some leaves from a small cleft in the ground. "We're low on marigold. I need to check the storage." she muttered. She chewed the marigold leaves into a pulp, then mixed it with some… comfrey?

Petalpaw looked up. "Here. It's a poultice of marigold and comfrey." Seeing the disgusted look on Lilypaw's face, she let out a purr of laughter. "Relax. I'm just going to smear it on your bites and scratches so they heal quicker and don't get infected. It's only going to sting a little."

The medicine cat apprentice smeared the poultice on and secured it with cobwebs. Then she pushed one little black seed toward Lilypaw. "Eat this poppy seed. It will help you get some sleep."

As Lilypaw licked up the seed, Petalpaw pawed out more herbs from the crevices in the den. "Cobwebs, goldenrod, thyme, horsetail…" Petalpaw murmured.

Lilypaw's eyelids started to droop. "Stay in your nest," Petalpaw instructed her. "I'm going to help Poppynose."

The medicine cat apprentice padded out of the den with the herbs in her mouth as Lilypaw let out an enormous yawn. She slowly let herself fall into an exhausted sleep.


End file.
